UK Government Opens Consultation on Stricter Social Media Rules for Children

The UK government has started a consultation to examine possible new restrictions on social media use by children. The process will collect views on measures such as age limits, usage caps, and overnight curfews for young users.

The consultation, which will run for three months, is seeking feedback from teenagers, parents, and guardians on how to promote healthier digital habits among children. Proposals under review include setting a statutory minimum age for social media access and introducing daily limits on usage.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced that the consultation will look at options such as overnight curfews and mandatory breaks to reduce prolonged scrolling. The review will also consider whether to implement an outright ban on social media for those under 16, similar to policies in Australia.

As part of the consultation, a trial involving approximately 150 children aged 13 to 15 will be conducted. Participants in this trial will experience a complete ban on social media, a one-hour daily limit, or overnight screen curfews to assess the effects of these restrictions.

What the numbers show

• The consultation period will last three months
• About 150 children aged 13 to 15 will participate in the first trial
• Proposals include a potential ban for under-16s and one-hour daily usage limits

In addition to age and usage restrictions, the consultation will explore ways to limit features that may encourage excessive use, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay. The government is also reviewing how to strengthen age verification processes and manage children's access to AI chatbots and gaming platforms, including Roblox.

The review forms part of a broader plan that could result in stricter controls on children's access to digital platforms. The consultation will specifically assess whether a minimum age for social media use should be established and, if so, what that age should be.

Officials stated that the consultation aims to gather a wide range of perspectives before any decisions are made about new statutory requirements. The government has not yet set a timeline for implementing any potential changes following the consultation.

Measures under consideration are intended to address concerns about children's digital wellbeing and to align UK policy with approaches taken in other countries, such as Australia. The outcome of the consultation will inform future government decisions on regulating children's use of social media and related online services.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.